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Vol 2 All the Spitfire questions here


Sean_M

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Were there ever any HF Mk IXbs ? I've seen a number of references to such a/c which, from the information given, are shown, on the production site, as Mk IXbs of which there weren't many. Might there be any problems converting an Eduard Mk IXc wing to a IXb ?

Comments and advice will be appreciated.

Cheers

John

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Mk IX or Mk IXe, yes, but there was no Mk IXb or Mk IXc.

Show me this designation anywhere on official paperwork, spare parts manuals, pilots notes, AP's etc.

Mk IX wings made with leading edge skins and 'chimney pots' from Mk Vb and Vc source, yes, but that does not make them a IXb or IXc...just a Mk IX.

...and when the IXe was introduced the official designation became 'early Mk IX'.

PeterA

Spare%20Parts%20manual%20Peter%20Arnold%

Edited by Mark12
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Has anyone actually had their hands on the Pavla 1/32 Spitfire metal seat? I have my doubts about it's accuracy, from the photos I've seen, it seems taller than the plastic seat and has a slot in the right hand side which does not appear in the photo which Edgar kindly posted. Any comments

John

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Were there ever any HF Mk IXbs ? I've seen a number of references to such a/c which, from the information given, are shown, on the production site, as Mk IXbs of which there weren't many. Might there be any problems converting an Eduard Mk IXc wing to a IXb ?

Many thanks for the replies to the above.

Actually the reason for my question was my doubts about the existence of the said a/c types. I had found a reference, on an IPMS site) to an HF IXb (MH434) which on the production pages proved to be an LF IX - I did find a couple of LF IXb references in these pages (obviously errors) (MK632 and Mk415). I also found a number of sites containing references to LF IXbs which turned out to be LF IXs probably as a result of LF IXs being unofficially known as IXbs.

Another one bites the dust :winkgrin:

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On 17/07/2015 at 22:07, Sky Pilot said:

Many thanks for the replies to the above.

Actually the reason for my question was my doubts about the existence of the said a/c types. I had found a reference, on an IPMS site) to an HF IXb (MH434) which on the production pages proved to be an LF IX - I did find a couple of LF IXb references in these pages (obviously errors) (MK632 and Mk415). I also found a number of sites containing references to LF IXbs which turned out to be LF IXs probably as a result of LF IXs being unofficially known as IXbs.

Another one bites the dust :winkgrin:

John

this is discussed on the Spitfire Site

http://spitfiresite.com/2010/04/spitfire-mk-ix-xi-and-xvi-variants-much-varied.html

Quote

More rarely seen are the suffixes A and B. These have caused some confusion, as these letters in earlier Spitfire marks define eight-gun and two drum-fed cannon and four machine gun armament configurations, respectively. It would seem that the designations IXA / IXB were used ad-hoc by the RAF units during the early part of the Mk. IX’s operational career, to distinguish the low-altitude-optimized Merlin 66-equipped LF IX (called Mk. IX B )  from the initial Merlin 61/63/63a-equipped F IX (called Mk. IX A). These designations are sometimes seen in pilot’s log books, squadron Operational Record Books, etc.

Note capitalisation and gap.

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Could anyone advise me if there were ever any Spitfire Vbs that were clipped wing - not "LF" - not tropicalized - camouflaged for ETO. I've spent many happy (?) hours searching for such a bird. If one should turn up I suspect that suitable decals will be a problem necessitating my building them up from various sources.

It goes without saying that any advice will be greatly appreciated.

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Could anyone advise me if there were ever any Spitfire Vbs that were clipped wing - not "LF" - not tropicalized - camouflaged for ETO. I've spent many happy (?) hours searching for such a bird. If one should turn up I suspect that suitable decals will be a problem necessitating my building them up from various sources.

It goes without saying that any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Is there any particular reason why you don't want an LF aircraft ?

One clipped wing Mk.Vb I'd like to build one day is BL591 while serving with 277 Sqn. for ASR duties in 1944. This had a Merlin 45M, therefore should be an LF, however externally it does not differ from any other non LF Spitfire, having standard fishtail exhausts. Wings were clipped and the scheme was standard DFS, with invasion stripes below the fuselage and yellow codes.

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The LF Mk.Vs looked identical to the F Mk.Vs, the change in designation bringing no external change. The late appearance of 6-a-side exhausts is apparently a sign of the Merlin 55M, but most LF Mk.Vs had the Merlin 45M or 50M with the 3-a-side fishtails. Also commonly seen on the LF Mk.Vb were the strengthening strakes above the wheel well, but this was a modification appropriate to all early marks - it just happens that the ones most commonly seen after the introduction tend to be LF Mk.Vs rather than older aircraft in OCUs or hack roles.

Edited by Graham Boak
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Sure, as I recall it was the AFDU that experimented with removing the wingtips, so the aircraft they were trying it on would have most likely been standard "Northern Europe" Mk.Vbs.

bob

I think I have found one of the, allegedly, two, Vbs used by AFDU (AA937 AF-O) for performance trials with clipped wings. The production pages show AA937 as being an M45 powered Vb although the blurb has a reference to LFVB - M45 would not be the correct engine for an LF. I assume that the LF reference is attributable to the, then, misconception that clipped wing a/c were LF.

preview.jpg

The reason for me wanting a clipped wing (F) Vb is that I'm trying to build as many different Spits as I can. I've already got an clipped wing LFVb.

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There's also this one; note that, late in the war, the clipped wingtip still retained its navigation lamps; early clipped tips (as on AA937) were carved from wood, and had no lights:-

cid_9DF359C9-277B-423F-A57F-0A145B8970E2

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Edgar,

Just out of idle curiosity (and forgive me if I have missed it above) what's the significance of the bar above the T?

M

Not Edgar but, the use of a bar above a letter, also a 2 like the famous 'Mike Squared' PM-M2 Lancaster was if two aircraft had the same letter in unit to distinguish between them.

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Not Edgar but, the use of a bar above a letter, also a 2 like the famous 'Mike Squared' PM-M2 Lancaster was if two aircraft had the same letter in unit to distinguish between them.

As Troy said.

The illustrated aircraft would probably have been referred to as 'T Bar'.

Trevor

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It's impossible to say; A.C.A.S gave permission to the Civilian Repair Depots to fit the narrow blister to the V, VIII & IX on 25-6-42, and the RAF shows it as being fitted from 9-11-42. Supermarine reckoned that they didn't fit it, on the production line, until 7-1-44.

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Not Edgar but, the use of a bar above a letter, also a 2 like the famous 'Mike Squared' PM-M2 Lancaster was if two aircraft had the same letter in unit to distinguish between them.

Thank you Troy.

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I am probably being lazy here but can someone explain to me the purpose of the oval panel in the left side of the canopy? It can't be a clear vision panel, unless the aircraft is crabbing to land and you might as well open the canopy. It can't be an escape panel because it is too small. I'm intrigued!

Thanks

Simon

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I am probably being lazy here but can someone explain to me the purpose of the oval panel in the left side of the canopy? It can't be a clear vision panel, unless the aircraft is crabbing to land and you might as well open the canopy. It can't be an escape panel because it is too small. I'm intrigued!

Thanks

Simon

Just a thought - was it to allow the air pressure to equalise in the cockpit so that the hood could be opened? That's a guess BTW - not a fact. :)

Jonners - wondering what the real reason is too

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